Tuesday, September 27, 2016

My Unpolitical Response to the Debate

This election reminds me of a season David and I walked many years ago. It was a season where my understanding of God's Word rubbed against my experiences, my world. A season where I cried out to the LORD to reveal the hearts of men. A season where I was confused about why the LORD seemed silent and removed.

Through much inner struggle, He revealed Himself and where He was at work. He opened my eyes to a greater struggle outside of myself. He was inviting me to leave MY world and come see HIS. He was inviting me to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing light that breaks forth like the dawn.

The United States, our precious country, our homeland, is in trouble. We cry out for the LORD to expose the hearts of men. We pray for deliverance and direction. We fear for our children, for ourselves, and for our future. We pray for revival and repentance and for healing. We grieve that our America, our American way of life, could be coming to an end.

Through our struggle and fear, could it be that the LORD is revealing where He is and where He is at work? Could He be inviting us to fearlessly leave OUR world and to come see HIS? Could He be inviting us to see where His heart breaks, where darkness truly reigns and where He delights in bringing light that breaks forth like the dawn?

We have an opportunity. An opportunity to see outside our world and see His. To see His Kingdom, and reveal the light and hope of its glorious future in the darkness! We have an opportunity to respond to His invitation, friends... let's not miss it!

Let your heart be encouraged by what Scripture says about healing, darkness and LIGHT!!

Real Healing: Isaiah 58:1-12

1 Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression And to the house of Jacob their sins.

2 Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.

3 Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice? Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.

4 Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

5 Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing ones head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?

6 Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?

7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,

10 And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday.

11 And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

12 Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

Real Darkness & Enemy: Ephesians 6:12

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.Real LIGHT: John 8:12

12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.